1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to simulated wave water ride attractions of the type wherein an upward flow of water is provided on an inclined ride surface and, more particularly, to a mobile water ride attraction having a sluice slide-over cover overlying a water ride injection nozzle or sluice gate for ensuring the safety of riders in the absence of an extended transition surface between the ride surface and the nozzle or sluice gate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional sheet-flow wave-simulating water rides typically include a sloped ride surface upon which a supercritical flow of sheet-like water is caused to flow. The water flowing up and over or spilling off the side of the inclined surface is collected in supplementary pools or moats and then recirculated back through a channel to an elevated container and/or a pump reservoir from which the water is extruded back onto the incline. Riders are able to ride and perform surfing/skimming maneuvers upon the upward flowing sheet water flow using a skim board, boogie board or a specially configured surf-board/flow-board. By skillfully manipulating the ride board riders can achieve various conditions of dynamic balance or imbalance between the tangentially acting drag forces and the downward acting gravitational forces. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,236,280 and 5,271,692, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
An elongated nozzle or sluice gate is typically provided adjacent the lower end of the ride surface for injecting a sheet-like flow of water onto the ride surface. Typically, an extended horizontal or downward sloping transition surface is provided between the nozzle and the lower end of the ride surface. The purpose of the extended transition surface is to provide an energy-absorbing buffer between the upward sloped ride surface and the nozzle or sluice gate. This buffer prevents riders from possibly colliding with or riding over the sluice gate and/or interfering with the ride operation.
The incorporation of an extended transition surface, however, undesirably increases the size and cost of the ride attraction. In many applications where such attractions are to be installed it is desirable to maintain as small a footprint as possible in order to conserve precious real estate and also to enable the ride attraction to fit in relatively small confines, such as inside a hotel or restaurant. At the same time, it is desirable to provide as large a riding area as possible in order to maximize rider enjoyment and rider throughput. These competing design objectives can often result in less than optimal ride attraction configurations, particularly in installations where the amount of available space is tight.
Moreover, the relatively large size of such ride attractions makes it difficult, if not impossible, and/or expensive to move them between different sites, for example, between local fairs and the like. Additionally, these water ride attractions are typically constructed on-site which can cause noise and debris, and hence long-term inconvenience to and disruption in the activities of nearby residential and/or business communities. The on-site construction can also undesirably add to the cost.
Accordingly, it is a principal object and advantage of the present invention to overcome some or all of these limitations and to provide a mobile simulated-wave water ride attraction which can be transported and shipped between sites using conventional trucks, trains and other vehicles.
It is another principal object and advantage of the present invention to overcome some or all of the above limitations and to provide a sluice slide-over cover for ensuring the safety of riders in the absence of an extended transition surface. The sluice cover can be used in conjunction with a wide variety of sheet flow and deep flow simulated-wave water ride attractions, among other types of water rides.
It is another principal object and advantage of the present invention to overcome some or all of the above limitations and to provide a compact simulated-wave water ride attraction which accommodates the omission and/or shortening of the extended transition surface.
In accordance with one embodiment, the present invention provides a nozzle assembly for a water ride attraction. The nozzle assembly comprises a nozzle having an outlet aperture adapted to emit a jet of water onto a ride surface. The nozzle assembly further comprises a nozzle cover. The nozzle cover comprises a padded material substantially covering the nozzle. The nozzle cover includes a flexible tongue which is biased downward against the flow of the water to prevent injury to riders riding over the nozzle.
In accordance with another embodiment, the present invention provides a cover for a water ride sluice gate. The cover comprises a contoured flexible pad and is removably affixed to the sluice gate. The cover includes a flexible tongue at a downstream end. The tongue extends over and is urged downward against the flow of water jetting from the sluice gate. The cover further includes a generally flat portion at an upstream end.
In accordance with yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a water ride attraction. The ride attraction generally comprises a contoured ride surface, a sluice and a cover. The sluice is sized and configured to inject a flow of water onto the ride surface. The cover covers and extends over the top surface of the sluice to advantageously prevent riders from possibly colliding with or riding over the sluice and/or interfering with the ride operation.
In accordance with a further embodiment, the present invention provides a mobile water ride attraction. The ride attraction generally comprises a plurality of nozzles and a plurality of transportable modules and associated components. Each nozzle assembly comprises a nozzle and a nozzle cover. The nozzle has an aperture and is adapted to inject a jet of water. The nozzle cover comprises a flexible padded material to protect riders from possible injurious contact with the nozzle. When the transportable modules and associated components are assembled they form a ride surface. The ride surface is contoured to form a predetermined or preselected wave structure and/or flow pattern.
In accordance with one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of providing a compact wave-simulating water ride attraction. The ride attraction comprises a sluice gate having an outlet for injecting a flow of water onto a ride surface. The method comprises the step of covering the sluice gate with a padded material having a flexible tongue. The tongue extends over the flow of water emitted from the sluice gate outlet. The tongue is biased downwards to squeeze it against the flow of water emitted from the sluice gate outlet to seal off the sluice gate outlet from possible injurious contact with a rider. Advantageously, this permits the ride surface to be configured such that it has a substantially inclined ride surface and a shortened horizontal transition surface.
For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the invention have been described herein above. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular preferred embodiment(s) disclosed.